Coronavirus Cruise Ship to Set Sail Again in April, After Thorough Cleaning

As the end of a quarantine allowed people to begin leaving the coronavirus-stricken Diamond Princess, Japanese health officials said two passengers hospitalized earlier had died. Photo: TAKASHI AOYAMA/GETTY IMAGES

By

Alastair Gale

TOKYO—The $500 million cruise liner that became an incubator for the novel coronavirus will resume service again soon with its next group of holidaymakers, according to its operator, though only after a thorough cleaning.

At its dock near Tokyo, the Diamond Princess still houses some passengers and crew under quarantine for the virus, two weeks after their voyage was scheduled to have ended. A barrage of publicity about the ship and its more than 600 coronavirus patients made it one of the most famous, or infamous, cruise...